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Following is a summary translation of the speech made by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at the Labour Day reception hosted by the Government at Government House today (May 1):
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the Labour Day reception hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.
Since the reunification, Hong Kong has been undergoing a difficult process of economic restructuring. Owing to the bursting of the bubble economy, the increasing pace of globalisation and a mismatch of human resources, a profound economic restructuring has been inevitable. The Government has been committed to mobilising the whole community to tackle these challenges. With tremendous efforts from the whole community and the staunch support of the Central Government, we are seeing results of our restructuring.
The local economy has rebounded, consumer spending has increased, property prices have stabilized and more jobs have been created. We estimate an annual economic growth of 6% this year, while deflation will soon disappear and the job market will further improve.
However, our economic restructuring is not over yet, as globalisation is still fast developing. We must continue to build on our strengths to continue our economic restructuring. With the improvement in the economy, more people will enter the labour market, putting pressure on the unemployment rate in the near future.
In the long term, we will continue to invest in education and promote lifelong learning, to sharpen the competitiveness of our labour force. We will further promote training and retraining and ensure the courses are better oriented to the needs of the market and our economic restructuring. The Government will promote employment by extending short-term jobs and through initiatives such as the Re-employment Training Programme for the Middle-aged, the Special Incentive Allowance Scheme for Local Domestic Helpers, the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme, and the Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme. Next month will see the launch of the new Youth Self-employment Support Scheme, to help young people interested in starting their own businesses.
In order to boost job opportunities, it is most important for the Government to create an environment conducive to the sustained growth of the economy, the increase in investment and consumer spending as well as the growth of tourism. As long as unemployment exists, the Government will keep doing its best to get the various areas of our work done.
In addition, the Government is taking seriously the problem that some Government service contractors are offering their non-skilled employees, such as cleaning workers, wages that are below market levels. I have asked relevant departments to take rigorous measures to ensure that the rights and benefits of these employees are protected. The Government will soon consider adopting the average monthly wages and daily working hours for the same occupations set out in the Quarterly Report of Wage and Payroll Statistics published by the Census and Statistics Department as the lower limit for wages and upper limit for working hours of these employees. The Labour Department will strengthen its inspections of Government service contractors, and will investigate whether any employers have violated the relevant requirements. We are determined to protect the rights and benefits of workers of Government service contractors and we are confident that we can do so.
Speaking overall, we are optimistic about Hong Kong's economic prospects. We are best positioned to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the significant economic development of our country. Looking for a share in the market, international businesses across the globe are flocking to China. As the most prosperous city in China under the "One Country, Two Systems" concept, Hong Kong enjoys first-mover advantage with our close proximity to, and rich experience of, the Mainland market. With CEPA adding to our strengths, Hong Kong is poised to play an active part in these developments. The interests of Hong Kong are inseparable from the thriving economic development of the Mainland. Beijing has all along supported and will continue to support Hong Kong. Whatever the Central Government does is in our long-term interests. We must stand united and committed to reap the benefits and opportunities offered by our economic recovery.
Hong Kong has bravely faced the recent difficult times and the labour sector has been hardest hit during this period. On this special occasion, I would like to pay tribute to our labour sector for their contribution to Hong Kong. Capitalising on the new opportunities, I look forward to the concerted efforts of the Government, employers and employees to ensure that Hong Kong scales new heights.
Thank you.
Ends/Saturday, May 1, 2004
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